November 2003

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Iraq: Jalal Talabani takes up the rotating presidency of the Governing Council.Italy: Former president of Sardegna (1982, 1984-89) Mario Melis dies.Mexico: Carlos Flores Dueñas takes office as interim governor of Colima.Norfolk Island: Grant Tambling takes office as administrator.Northern Mariana Islands: In parliamentary elections, the Covenant Party wins 9 of 18 seats in the House of Representatives, the Republicans 7, the Democrats 1, and independents 1. Turnout is 77.3%.

Klebanov

Russia: Ilya Klebanov is appointed plenipotentiary of the president in Severo-Zapadny federal district.

2

Georgia: In parliamentary elections, the For a New Georgia bloc wins 21.3% of the vote and the Revival Union 18.9%; both are loyal to President Eduard Shevardnadze. The opposition National Movement led by Mikhail Saakashvili wins 18.1%, the Labour Party 12%, the Democrats 8.8%, and the New Right Party 7.4%.

4

Azerbaijan: Parliament endorses Artur Rasizade as prime minister. On November 5 a presidential decree confirms Safar Abiyev as defense minister and Ramil Usubov as interior minister. Avaz Alekperov is confirmed as finance minister on November 6 and Vilayat Guliyev as foreign minister on November 8.Sri Lanka: President Chandrika Kumaratunga fires Defense Minister Tilak Marapana and Interior Minister John Amaratunga and takes over the positions herself.United States: In gubernatorial elections in Kentucky, Ernie Fletcher (Republican) is elected over Ben Chandler (Democrat), 55%-45%. Turnout is 39.8%. In Mississippi, Haley Barbour (Rep.) wins over incumbent Ronnie Musgrove (Dem.), 53%-45%. Results of mayoral elections:

San Francisco: Gavin Newsom (Dem.) wins 41.4%, Matt Gonzalez (Green) 20.1%, and Angela Alioto (Dem.) 16.1%. Turnout is 39%. A runoff between Newsom and Gonzalez will be held on December 9.

5

Canada: In Saskatchewan elections, Premier Lorne Calvert's New Democratic Party wins 44.6% of the vote (30 of 58 seats), the Saskatchewan Party 39.4% (28), and the Liberal Party 14.2% (0).Cook Islands: Deputy Prime Minister Terepai Maoate leaves the government after he tabled a motion of no confidence in the government. The motion is later dropped, and Prime Minister Robert Woonton names Ngamau Munokoa as new deputy prime minister.Malaysia: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi assumes the post of finance minister while also retaining his post as home affairs minister.

Walker

Papua New Guinea: The provincial assembly of East Sepik elects Acting Governor Henry Ariro as governor with 17 votes against 7 for Tony Aimo and 5 for Kimson Kare. The next day, however, the election is declared null and void, and a new election is ordered.United States: Mike Leavitt, who won the Senate confirmation on October 28 to become administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (88-8), resigns as governor of Utah. Lieutenant Governor Olene Walker is sworn in as governor to serve the remainder of Leavitt's term. Leavitt is sworn in as EPA administrator on November 6.

Williams

6

Canada: Danny Williams is sworn in as premier of Newfoundland and Labrador.

7

Indonesia: Syahrial Oesman is sworn in as governor of Sumatera Selatan.Macedonia: Parliament approves a government reshuffle in which Nikola Popovski replaces Petar Gosev as finance minister.

Bellal

Mauritania: In presidential elections, incumbent Maaouya Ould Sid'Ahmed Taya wins 67% of the vote, followed by former president Mohamed Khouna Ould Haidalla with 18.7%, Ahmed Ould Daddah with 6.9%, and Messaoud Ould Boulkheir with 5%. Turnout is 60.8%. On November 12 Prime Minister Sghair Ould M'Bareck is reappointed. The next day he presents his new cabinet; Mohamed Vall Ould Bellal becomes foreign minister and Baba Ould Sidi defense minister.Nigeria: Former acting president of Biafra (1970) Philip Effiong dies.

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Argentina: In gubernatorial elections in Chubut, Mario Das Neves (Justicialist Party) wins with 45.2% of the vote, followed by incumbent José Luis Lizurume (Radical Civic Union) with 41.6% and Roque González (Action for Chubut) with 7.1%.Guatemala: In presidential elections, Óscar Berger of the Grand National Alliance (GANA) wins 34.3% of the vote, Álvaro Colom of the National Union for Hope (UNE) 26.4%, Efraín Ríos Montt of the Guatemalan Republican Front (FRG) 19.3%, and Leonel López of the National Advancement Party (PAN) 8.4%. A runoff between Berger and Colom is to be held December 28. In parliamentary elections, GANA wins 48 of 158 seats, FRG 44, UNE 32, and PAN 16. Turnout is 54.5%.Japan: In parliamentary elections, the Liberal-Democratic Party wins 237 of 480 seats in the lower house, its coalition partners 38 (New Komeito 34, New Conservative Party 4), the Democratic Party 177, the Communist Party 9, and the Social Democratic Party 6. Turnout is 59.9%.

14

Indonesia: Abraham O. Atururi is installed as governor of the new province of Irian Jaya Barat.

T. Dlamini

Swaziland: King Mswati III names Themba Dlamini as prime minister. He is sworn in on November 26, when the new cabinet is announced including Mabili Dlamini as foreign minister and Prince Gabheni Dlamini as home affairs minister; Majozi Sithole remains finance minister.

15

United States: Kathleen Blanco (Democrat) is elected governor of Louisiana with 51.9% of the vote, defeating Bobby Jindal (Republican) with 48.1%.

16

Lebanon: Former foreign minister (1975) Lucien Dahdah dies.Serbia and Montenegro: Presidential elections in Serbia fail again due to low turnout (38.8%). Tomislav Nikolic of the Serbian Radical Party wins 46.2% of the vote and Dragoljub Micunovic of the ruling Democratic Opposition of Serbia 35.4%.Spain: In Catalonia elections, the Convergence and Union party wins 30.9% of the vote (46 of 135 seats), the Socialist Party of Catalonia 31.2% (42), the Republican Left of Catalonia 16.5% (23), the Popular Party 11.9% (15), and the Initiative for Catalonia-Greens 7.3% (9). Turnout is 63.4%.

17

Marshall Islands: In parliamentary elections, President Kessai Note's United Democratic Party wins 20 of 33 seats.

Schwarzenegger

United States: Arnold Schwarzenegger is sworn in as governor of California.

18

Egan

Australia: Ted Egan is sworn in as administrator of the Northern Territory.

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Central African Republic: Former president (1960-66, 1979-81) David Dacko dies.India: In state elections in Mizoram, the ruling Mizo National Front wins 21 of 40 seats, the Congress Party 12, the Mizoram People's Conference 3, the Zoram Nationalist Party 2, and the Mara Democratic Front 1. Turnout is 78.7%.Spain: Esperanza Aguirre is elected president of the government of Madrid. She takes office the following day.

21

Indonesia: Rusli Zainal is installed as governor of Riau.Papua New Guinea: The Supreme Court rules that the election of Sir Albert Kipalan as governor-general was invalid. Parliament Speaker Bill Skate becomes acting governor-general following the expiration of the term of Sir Silas Atopare.Philippines: Finance Secretary Jose Isidro Camacho resigns, effective November 30. Juanita Amatong is named to replace him in an interim capacity.

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Argentina: In gubernatorial elections in Entre Ríos, Jorge Busti (Justicialist Party) wins 46.4% of the vote, Sergio Varisco (Radical Civic Union) 33.5%, and Emilio Martínez Garbino (Nuevo Espacio) 17.3%. This day also completes staggered parliamentary elections held since May, as the result of which the Justicialist Party will have 130 of 257 seats in the Chamber of Deputies and 41 of 72 in the Senate.Burundi: Simon Nyandwi is named interior minister.Croatia: In parliamentary elections, the Croatian Democratic Union wins 66 of 152 seats (43.4% of the vote), the Social Democratic Party 34, and the Croatian People's Party 10. Turnout is 59.6%.

Burjanadze

Zhvania

Japaridze

Georgia: President Eduard Shevardnadze resigns a day after opposition forces stormed parliament in protest against the alleged rigging of the November 2 elections and declared Nino Burjanadze, speaker of the old parliament, as acting president. Interior Minister Koba Narchemashvili resigns on November 24 and Minister of State Avtandil Jorbenadze and Finance Minister Mirian Gogiashvili on November 25. Ruben Asanidze becomes acting interior minister. Also on November 25 the Supreme Court cancels most of the results of the elections (those concerning 150 deputies who won places by representing party lists; the results concerning the other 85 deputies, elected in single-mandate constituencies, are left standing). On November 27 the parliament confirms Zurab Zhvania as new minister of state; Zurab Nogaideli becomes finance minister and Giorgi Baramidze interior minister. Foreign Minister Irakli Menagharishvili resigns on November 28 and Merab Antadze becomes acting foreign minister. On November 30 Tedo Japaridze takes office as foreign minister.

24

Canada: Elections are held in the Northwest Territories. There are no parties.China: Seypidin, former chairman of the People's Council (1955-67) and of the Revolutionary Committee (1972-78) of Xinjiang, dies.Ecuador: Finance Minister Mauricio Pozo offers his resignation.

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United Kingdom: In elections in Northern Ireland, the Democratic Unionist Party wins 30 of 108 seats (25.7% of first-preference votes), the Ulster Unionist Party 27 (22.7%), Sinn Féin 24 (23.5%), and the Social Democratic and Labour Party 18 (17%). Turnout is 63.1%.

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Gibraltar: In parliamentary elections, Chief Minister Peter Caruana's Social Democrats win 51.5% of the vote (8 of 15 seats), the Socialist Labour Party/Liberal coalition 39.7% (7), and Labour 8.3% (0). Turnout is 79.2%.Grenada: In parliamentary elections, Prime Minister Keith Mitchell's New National Party wins 8 of 15 seats (47.7% of the vote) and the National Democratic Congress 7 (45.1%). Turnout is 57.7%.